Caught in the Sun: One Last Stand
by TachyonOne
Summary: Mina learns that Alan is in Osaka for the World Cup, and decides to find him for one last chance at love. Part of a special fanfic series.


For more information about this fanfic series, go to http://www.infinitedeferral.com/ or for other fanfics in this series, go to my profile at http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=79367 .  
  
Caught in the Sun  
  
A 2002 World Cup / Anime Fanfic Series  
  
By Roehl Sybing (indef@infinitedeferral.com)  
  
Episode Ten: One Last Stand  
  
Group F: Nigeria v England @ Osaka  
  
A Sailor Moon Fanfic  
  
"The nation of England will hold its collective breath this afternoon, as its beloved squad faces Nigeria in the hopes to get a win or a draw in order to advance to the round of sixteen. But the Nigerians, eliminated from the tournament, have absolutely nothing to lose but their pride in this match, and is expected to perform a brand of soccer that plays like there is no tomorrow. Here we are, minutes before the start of this final group game, and the largest contingent of English fans out of all three of their team's matcher make up a huge part of this capacity crowd at Nagai Stadium. A fan support thirty-five thousand strong has turned out to support England to make one last stand for the second round of the World Cup."  
  
---  
  
Mina took her seat among the raucous English crowds, keeping much to herself only because the letters in her hands kept her preoccupied away from the action on the field.  
  
Just as the tournament started a week ago, she received some mail from an old friend in England with whom she had secretly kept contact, letting her know of all the things that had been going on lately in her old neighborhood. Not much to say, though; they've all gone on to different places but have kept close contact with each other. A bit of action here, a bit of trouble there, but all in all it made Mina wish she could be back in England, if only for a while.  
  
Then there was the piece of writing that caught her eye, the news that Alan and Katarina, growing apart by time and distance, had eventually gone their separate paths. Mina naturally felt sorry for her old friend, Katarina, but knew an opportunity - or at least a remote possibility - was at hand. Alan was following the rest of his buddies to Japan for the tournament. The only thing left to do, then, was for her to attend the game, and perhaps find him among the crowds in Osaka.  
  
She felt almost at home, deep within the crowds that cheered for England. Taking a good look all around her, it was as if nothing had changed, the people of her old home being crazy about the game. She always imagined what it would be like if she had a moment like this with Alan...  
  
Mina snapped out of her line of thought. Without a doubt, she was too wrapped up in wanting to find him so badly. She found it hard to find an explanation to justify showing herself to Alan, having thought her dead after her last adventure in England. Mina just wanted to see him one more time, and perhaps experience what she felt when she was once Sailor V.  
  
She looked up as the crowd rose to its feet. The ball had sailed into Nigeria's net and all of England joined the crowds in Osaka in jubilant celebration in the early goings. All around Mina, crazed fans jumped up and down and even coaxed her into sharing their joy. She did so, sincerely happy for her team and putting on her best face possible. Yes, she thought, it was almost like being there, back in her old home.  
  
---  
  
The love-stirred Mina walked the concession area within the stadium, having some food to ease her mind. Would she go up to Alan, find some reason to make the sudden surprise worthwhile? Though he obviously thought much of her, she was literally dead to him.  
  
And what of her chances to find him at all? The crowds were large, the faces were many, and the space was very limited. Sure enough, Alan was here - he would not have gone to Japan otherwise - but finding one out of fifty-thousand in the large Nagai Stadium recalled some old cliches. Perhaps coming all this way was a bad idea after all...  
  
Mina stopped herself. This was silly! No, she was absolutely going to do what she set out to do, and that was capture a piece of love for herself. It was a longshot, it was crazy, and it even drew a bit of ridicule from her friends back home. But she wanted true love in the worst way, and though Mina would probably not find it tonight, she could at least see what it was for one last time. She would worry about revealing herself to Alan once she got there.  
  
She threw the packaged food into a waste bin. It was not helping ease the tension that Mina was feeling within herself.  
  
---  
  
"Late now in the first half, England's strikers have become very hesitant since the opening goal that put them up one-nil over Nigeria. Without a doubt, they are feeling the weight of the responsibility that their nation has put on them, but are aware that their task is indeed a daunting one. Nigeria has threatened twice in this half to equalize, blowing past England's defense as if it didn't exist at all. This side has become somewhat deflated since the initial jubilation, but they are nonetheless determined to get out of this half and prepare for the next one. They have to find in their hearts the strength they are looking for, and we will see if it is enough to lift them over the top."  
  
---  
  
Mina wandered about behind the seats, wondering where it is that Alan may be sitting. She could never forget his face, unmistakable as it was even after all this time. His clothes were quite distinguishable, too, as was the manner in which he acted. Mina knew everything about her first crush. The only thing of which she was uncertain was if she wanted it badly enough to act on her emotions.  
  
There sure was a lot of people, Mina thought as she stood in the back, behind them all. One could surely get lost in this vast stadium, unnoticed by much of the rest of the attendance. She didn't want to think that she could ultimately never find who she was looking for. She clung onto a hope that was indeed strong, if remote.  
  
Then, a scream. Mina looked up. In the stands on the level above her, a young woman was fighting to get away from a man who was getting far too friendly with her. Stadium security was largely reserved for the fans closer to the pitch, but the one or two officers that were nearby were occupied with other rowdiness.  
  
The man had wrapped his arms around the woman, lifting her off the ground and taking her who-knows-where. The crowds behind the incident sat oblivious, too wrapped up in the action of the match. Not a soul that had witnessed what had transpired had gathered the courage to stand up to the injustice. Mina was not happy with this, especially when the guards were too busy to help. She certainly had to do something.  
  
---  
  
"The English fans have become very quiet after the equalizer in the sixty- first minute. They are aware of the score right now between Sweden and Argentina, and know that they must get this point in order to survive group play. If the other match going on right now plays exactly to form, a loss here will surely eliminate England from the tournament. Desperate times among the players on the field for this team, as the momentum of this match has shifted completely over to Nigeria. Remember, the African team has absolutely nothing to lose, which is making them very dangerous as they have been keeping the ball in England's third of the field. The eleven players on for England need to save the day from a possible tragedy on their home country. Without a doubt, they are desperately looking for a hero this afternoon."  
  
---  
  
The woman fought him with all her might, but the man held her firmly in front of him as they made their way into the outer areas of the stadium. The onlookers were put to shame as they stood not to lift a finger to offer some help, while the various stadium personnel scrambled to put out the fiery passion of the rowdy fans, magnified several times over by the importance of the match.  
  
The two made their way out through the open-air exit of the stadium, devoid of many people, and thus interference, because of the ongoing game. The man was in the clear, free to do what he wanted, as he clutched every so tightly to his unwilling prize. Free, that is, until Sailor Venus got in his way.  
  
He knew who she was, seeing her from all the papers and photographs of her and the others in action. The man was all but foiled. Naturally, she threatened him to stop what he was doing. But, desperate as he was, he was determined to make a fight out of what little fight he had. He put the woman down on the floor and kept her from fleeing. It was hardly nice to hit any woman with anything, but the man didn't care as he picked up a large rock taken from the landscaping in front of the stadium. Sailor Venus did not have a chance to ask what he was doing as he, in vain, hurled the rock in her direction, missing her by a great distance as she ducked from the oncoming attack.  
  
That did it, she said to herself, now getting into her own counterattack. Sailor Venus saw all that was pathetic and evil in her adversary, and thought that her love-me chain was a fitting show of poetic justice. The chain of hearts was taken from her waist and, in the blink of an eye, wrapped around the man's pitiful body once she chanted the words to subdue the woman's attacker. Quite easily, he fell to the ground, unconscious. He lay there motionless, long enough for the guards to finally notice what was going on before taking the man away.  
  
The officers, and indeed the woman that was saved, gave their gratitude to Sailor Venus, as she assured them it was all part of her job. She especially burned into her memory the look of relief on the woman's face upon her rescue. Sailor Venus would never be in that position, but being so independent made her at times less than content, making her wish that someone would come to her aid.  
  
Sailor Venus - Mina - transformed back to her normal self to get back to what it was she was doing. Once she exited her hiding place in the stadium, though, all that was required for what she needed to do was right in front of her.  
  
Alan had not changed one bit, Mina thought as she stood some distance out of sight away from the man of her pursuit, standing right there in the back behind a section of seats behind the middle level. He watched the game as did everybody else in the stadium, but stood with a calm and quiet demeanor that separated him from the rest of the actively jubilant crowds. Mina rested behind a stadium support, watching him ever so intently. What was she going to do? Could she possibly explain herself to him? He was right there! Love was in her sight, there for the taking if she wanted it enough! Such a decision was never clearer!  
  
Then and there, though, Mina's heart sank. A woman went up to Alan and greeted him. Mina's eyes opened wide as she took a closer look at his partner. The woman who she had rescued from the attacker! They kissed. They kissed!  
  
Mina gripped her chest, feeling her beating heart. Surely she should feel some sort of outrage at herself, some kind of anger over her actions that ultimately denied her what she thought was hers. But as she watched the two of them walk, holding each other hand in hand, towards the seats and away from her, was too empty of all emotions, after all that had transpired. Curiously enough - and she could not believe herself - Mina was relieved! She had done one thing for the guy she once loved and still loved, and though she had never convinced herself that the prize in front of her was never hers to have, she settled for making him happy, even if he will never know.  
  
Mina choked back a tear, finding deep inside a drop of happiness that got her through the rest of the day. All that was left to do was to return to her seat, thinking about what may have been and what never will be, and watch the game.  
  
---  
  
"And that's going to do it! England did not get what they wanted, and that was first place in the group, but they do salvage a point after being outplayed by Nigeria. Final score, one-one, as England advances to the final sixteen. There was a moment in the final minutes of the match where they had a golden chance to make a lasting impression on everyone at Nagai Stadium, when the team's two forwards had only the keeper to beat. Instead, the second and decisive goal was not to be, and the hesitance all came flooding back to haunt them and their attack was delayed and eventually averted. With the way Nigeria played this afternoon, some might wonder if England is worthy of the opportunity they received to get out of the second round. Nonetheless, they walk away with this one, a bit bruised and emotionally drained but eventually happy with the result. Again, one- one, final, as England takes second place in the group. Regardless of this disappointing result, there are surely more adventures to come from this team, we promise you!"  
  
END.  
  
Next match:  
  
Episode Eleven: Mexico v Italy @ Oita  
  
A Vampire Princess Miyu Fanfic 


End file.
